FYI

A free printed copy of the proposed charter can also be obtained at the City Clerk’s office at City Hall, 47450 Woodward Avenue. The City Clerk’s office can be reached at 248-758-3200.

A revised Pontiac City Charter that would maintain the strong mayor form of government, move the city’s elections to even years, make two City Council seats at-large and greatly expand ethics rules has been sent to the state attorney general for review and could appear on the November ballot for voters’ consideration.

Voters decided in 2012 to convene a City Charter Revision Commission, and the group completed its work almost two years to the day after taking office. Chairman Darryl Fowlkes, a former Pontiac fire marshal, said detailed clauses prohibiting conflicts of interest, nepotism and favoritism are intended to prevent the missteps that led to the city’s finances being taken over by the state and an emergency manager being appointed.

“We put a lot in there to have more fiscal responsibility and government checks and balances so we don’t get into the things we got into last time.”

The document was prepared with the assistance of attorney Peter Letzmann, who worked on the city’s last charter revision three decades ago, Fowlkes said.

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If the Michigan Attorney General Bill Schuette’s office approves the proposed charter after a review, it will appear on the Nov. 4 ballot for an up-or-down vote. If the new charter is approved, it would take effect May 1, 2015.

New council district map, added ethics rules

The new charter would have the effect of extending the term of office for Mayor Deirdre Waterman and the City Council by one year, to Jan. 1, 2018.

Fowlkes said aligning the city’s elections with gubernatorial elections would improve turnout and save money.

The city’s seven council members are currently elected by district. The proposed charter would have five council districts and two at-large, meaning that the council district map would have to be redrawn.

Another provision would require that officials live in their district for a year before filing to run for office.

When the current charter took effect in 1982, it changed Pontiac’s governance from a city manager to a strong mayor. Secretary Bruce Turpin said the choice was vigorously debated by the commission before the board voted to continue with a strong mayor.

“It wasn’t a unanimous vote,” Turpin said. “It was a major decision to make. Everything flows from that.”

An ethical standards section in the proposed charter applies to the mayor, council members, appointees, city employees and contractors.

The charter calls for a five-member Board of Ethics to oversee the new public service rules.

Public servants would be have to disclose any financial interests they or any family members have in city business and the identity of any family members working at the city or applying for a job there. Contractors and vendors would also have to identify any entities or people with a financial interest in any city business.

Lobbyists would be required to register with the city. Public servants would not be allowed to accept any gifts, gratuities or other items of value from lobbyists or anyone involved in city business.

Another clause would prohibit any public servants in Pontiac from appearing before or working with the city on any matter they had knowledge of while working for the city for one year after their employment with the city.

After leaving the city, public servants would also be prohibited from employment with any person or company that did business with the city during the former public servant’s tenure if the person was involved in award or management of the contract or the employment included sharing confidential information.

The charter also imposes limits on campaign activities, including prohibitions on the mayor or council soliciting those involved with the city to work on campaigns and from financially soliciting Pontiac public servants for donations.

Charter reflects changed city

References to Pontiac General Hospital, long since sold, have been cut in the new charter. Sections on the police and fire departments now reflect the fact that city services aren’t necessarily performed in-house. Police and fire protection are provided via contracts with the Oakland County Sheriff’s Office and Waterford Regional Fire Department.

Fowlkes said the proposed charter makes it possible to have either third-party services or to recreate departments that were contracted out.

“We left it open, if the city prospers again, to employ our own and not outsource everything,” Fowlkes said.

When the current charter was enacted, the city had 600 to 700 employees, Fowlkes said. Now, about 30 are on the payroll, with the rest of those performing city services working on contract.

Charter Revision Commissioner Mike McGuinness said the board researched best practices from communities similar in size to Pontiac while creating the 42-page document.

“It was definitely a large undertaking,” McGuinness said. “We were trying to be as proactive and forward-thinking as possible (while) fully realizing that all what-if scenarios can’t be anticipated.”

About the Author

I cover the City of Pontiac, as well as the northern Oakland County communities of Brandon Township, the Village of Ortonville, Springfield Township and Groveland Township. Reach the author at dustin.blitchok@oakpress.com
or follow Dustin on Twitter: @SincerelyDustin.